Abstract: Methods and materials for conferring pest resistance to plants are provided. Plants are transformed with a silencing construct homologous to a gene of a plant pest that is essential for the survival, development, or pathogenicity of the pest. This results in the plant producing RNAi to the selected gene, which, when ingested by the pest results in silencing of the gene and a subsequent reduction of the pest's ability to harm the plant. In other embodiments, the pest's reduced ability to harm the plant is passed on to pest progeny. Methods and materials for depathogenesis of pests is also provided.

Abstract: The invention provides constructs and methods of screening for constructs useful in conferring resistance in plants to pests by gene silencing. The invention also provides pest-resistant plants transformed with the present constructs. One screening method of the invention comprises the steps of: selecting at least one pest target nucleotide sequence, producing a plurality of dsRNA test agents that target the pest target nucleotide sequence, testing and scoring the plurality of dsRNA test agents for toxicity to the pest, and producing a silencing construct based on a superior-scoring test agent.

Abstract: Methods and materials for conferring pest resistance to plants are provided. Plants are transformed with a silencing construct homologous to a gene of a plant pest that is essential for the survival, development, or pathogenicity of the pest. This results in the plant producing RNAi to the selected gene, which, when ingested by the pest results in silencing of the gene and a subsequent reduction of the pest's ability to harm the plant. In other embodiments, the pest's reduced ability to harm the plant is passed on to pest progeny. Methods and materials for depathogenesis of pests is also provided.

Abstract: Nucleic acid probes for detecting different strains of Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) were made and shown to be highly sensitive, specific, and selective. The invention also concerns a method of detection, a method of identifying novel strains of CTV, and a detection kit which employs the subject probes.

Abstract: Nucleic acid probes for detecting different strains of Citrus Tristeza Virus (CTV) were made and shown to be highly sensitive, specific, and selective. The invention also concerns a method of detection, a method of identifying novel strains of CTV, and a detection kit which employs the subject probes.